The goal is justice and equity for all. To quote from the Worldwide Economic Forum: “Gender parity is an important achievement that strongly influences whether economies and societies advance. Successfully harnessing and mobilizing half of the world’s total talent pool has a huge impact on the growth, competitiveness and future-readiness of economies and organizations across the globe.”

Despite significant strides in support of gender parity, women face daunting challenges; culturally, in their careers, in their communities, and in their families. Thankfully, women are increasingly speaking out about their experiences and – very importantly – creating a multi-gender community to realize positive change.

So where are we today in the gender parity journey? According to the Global Gender Gap Report, which benchmarks 144 countries regarding economic, educational, political, survival, and health standards – we’ve lost ground. Data now shows it could take around 217 years.

HIMSS maintains a constant focus on empowering women to earn what they’re worth, to advance their careers, and educate managers on the importance of equal pay for equal work. Our Women in Health IT initiative has helped spotlight some of the most influential women in digital health professions. Women in our community include doctors, nurses, executives, IT professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists, students, and more – and they all share in our mission of forging a path toward inclusivity and equity for all. I encourage you to read their stories and encourage others to achieve the success our Awardees have achieved.

We need all hands on deck as we #pressforprogress in our drive for worldwide gender equality. Today is a day to celebrate all of the wonderful women and men who have championed efforts to create a gender-equal world – freeing people of unhealthy constraints in their public, professional and personal lives, and opening the doors to more opportunities for all.